The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-18
GRAND JURY'S REPORT.
4 Repetition Of the Old Story.
They Come In With Dig at the
Taxing District.
Charges That the Laws Have Been
Utterly Disregarded.
Flat Footed Assertion That the City
l, Has Sustained Losses.
John J. Shea Alleges Criminslity
Against Engineer MerfWether
"A Denial ssd Plain
Explanation.
4 Repetition of the Old Story.


port to the Criminal Court, as folio W.,
on important suDjsc's
To the Hon. J. J. puYose, judge Of the
Criminal Court Of Shelby County, Tom,
The Taxing District officers we're exam
ined BY Msssrs. z. \. Estes, j. M. Goodbar
snS fGs s.. sss he ury Fro. dadsPYS5 and
have Il. to Itate that In many in
stances the Com missioners Of tho Taxing
District have failed to obey the laws made
and enac ed for the governing Of the city.
and. In fact, have utterly disresardod the
We find that the provision Of tho Tax
Ing District charter that no warrant
shall be drawn UPON. the trustee
sn rs the sS %Gnsy on hand T. pay the same
which the warrant is dram has grossly
viola cd. ard on June l, 1887, tho street,
bridge. sanitary and sewer account was
ovsrchtoked 70 tbs amount OF sll9,309 So
We find Tat another provision. that
money collected for one purpose shell pot
DO appropriated ior another, and that
neither the County trustee or commission
ers shall divert furd belonging to one d.
partm, mt and Bpply them TO another, has
keen s2,sl lSa dBis.1ssarded, and result #
from their legitimate purposes.
We find that the provision prohibiting any
member Of the Board Of Fire and Police
Commission or OF the Board Of Public
Wor ., from becoming interested directly or
Indirectly, ntatly or remosy, In any con-
tract Of any kind made In behalf Of the Tax
ing District, has be v olatsd to such antK
tent by some of.taid officials that We we're
constrained 70 prefer bills Of indictment
against the Offending parties.
We fnd that the provision requiring con-
tracts to DO advertised aud lot TO the lowest
bidder upon bond and tecurity-the con-
tracts to be approved and signed by a major
ity Of both boafd and the other contracting
party, and to be entered in . book TO DO kept
inspection q The public al all times,
has been utterly ignored 80 to all contracts
for work 10 DO cone and material TO DO fur
nishod on streets, bridges and sewers.
We hnd In this department that since
April. 1884, no bObd or security has been ex-
acted from any contra tor; and no work has
been advertised for and let 10 tho lowest bid
der; and no eontrs CT has been signed By the
contracting parties and entered In a book
tspt for that ParpSI,s, but ahs method ne hs.
Of the president 81 the Taxing District, TO
make all conirIcts with any PARTY he de-
having any competitive bidding
81 81 tn. Ss a@s Of q. s :. b, y tS sS
I.tion Of n. Law the city Il deprived Of the
benefits resulting from active competition In
the markets for the pur shase Of materials,
and the work 10 be performed on her streets.
bridge etc. and 70 LETT TO the mercy Of q
We think that the city hiss thereby lost
large sums Of N onty which could have been
sayed " the law had been complied with.
We believe that the provisions o. the Tax
ing District ehsrter above, referred 70 wisely
conceived, easily sampled with. and essen
tial 70 the esonom cal management Of the
government.
We commend the TaIins District sy,tsm Of
government az being simple. cheap AID we'll
adapted TO the local wants OF this commu-
nifty.
PUSHING THE CITY ENGINEER.
To the Memters Of the Grand Juryi
GssrL,Hss-on May q. 1857, a osmpltt.e.
somposed OF z. n. Estes, chairman; ]. NJ.
appointed 70 examine the 1axipg District
AFFAIR.". Ihefe two gentlemen have since
been excused from Jury service, at their re-
guest, and before all o.. the inysstigation'
tho pcssssits completing the work as
signed 10 ", and q submitting this report.
a. they are no lOaser or the jury.
A few nighis after our Al pointm We en-
tered upon our duties By o5amin,nE the
books and accounts kept by o. l. Puilen,
secretary, etc who has been such secretary
since the organization Of the government.
We found the books and accounts accurate
and the system OF keeping the same rlain
ard simple. which 10 the acme Of clerkship.
Too mu n prslfs cannot be siyen to tbs
system used ~ Mr.. Pullen. A. d 20 we're In.
formed that be otiEinated the ,ysismi that
Mr.. q. l.. Pullen isa com petent aud accurate
accountant, and n every way worthy aud d
for the position that he holds.
After having n cked OF Mr.. Pullen'l
books aud reeounts. and having Sa,iihsl our.
selvet a. 10 the acc ar-cy Of everything, ait.
or few sppliutm nts viii Maj. Nile,
Meiiwether, city engineer, We erdeayored
10 era pins his on.ce. and In order 10. do lhs
govsrninr said ef.e. Then l.llors III,
section tom tie chatter Of the Tixlng Dis
trict, rage g. which provides that before
entaiinE INFO any contract the Board Of Fire
ard Police Commits toners ihali tdveitlss
for one week. Allo the ofdinHbcel design
ating duties o the snsinser.
We Aked him for bic books. and be said
hetept none eIs.pt one book, which con
tains a msmoraudu o OF the voucher or bill
prevented. after btving been cert ned 10 b.
him 10 the commiftiontfs, and which III,
contractor OF seller, a. The case may be, 70
esips, snd 10 then returned BY bscfetar,
Pullen an hltd away A. q voucher In hi
department.
His book only shows the name Of %,
kind Of m ,ietiAl furbiihid or work done
but does not show where IL was used or shef'
the work vas dsne.
We asked him how be made bls bienr Al 70
port, ard he said from this boz and thu
vouchers In the taxing DistIlct once,
We called 30 Si,sbtion 10 the fact that th'
face OF the book did not show where thu
work was done, aud be said be knew vha
eseh bill .wls for aud When bis memoir
failed be had refsrsncs 70 the vouossft Of
We called be Attsntion 70 the charter II
reference 10 contracts, and he stated thai
II had not been complied with for som'
ysart back that tie cause tor not comp y
Ina was that the vas dread Of the con
flins bids hish.r han the work could hAv
been cone otherwise.
That Indeed l. > poor excuse, and ina,
work done In the city In .psyin
doe, ,..n ,,is. ' % .. sS., H Z these e,
brous. or Smith a Pst.i, eoud be ifu,ts
10 DO work without competitors. that the
gould a. we'll BE- trus,sdin open and pub
blssin.s where tho chances we're
Nearly ali Of the street paving has bee
done b. NJ. lafkin. and the work on n
l.vse Rnd other works were done ~
Br ,va. whilsa lev street; paved 10 fsli9I
bidding By smith A Belts.
section y sfAttiele ~. % the DiEsft vi
not complied With ior the above oluses.
kection ~ Of Ar iele Nv. was not compile
With, and when al 81 rhat he had dpno vii
bis Ofigtnal mcasurem suts on stft eta pavet
htj. her,wsther stated that he had axe
them on Zip. OF paper and carried la
slips In his peck 4 or put them 10 the dra,
sri Of his dsik. without takirE any iufth,
record of them other than making vouch \
from them, ard that hey were now lOst,
Section ~ of Article Nv. has not been Q
piled with sna whom asked Why, stated III
Mr., ID. p. Hidden was coEnisant Of ever
thlDf that waf done, aud that he thoug
thsfsvas no usees'ity for reporting his &C
Section 4 has not been complied with,
II THAI, the book was never shown 10 us
Part Of sseti u vas not complied "
for The reason that seetion 20 was not col
piled with.
hft,rour com mlttee had met three or 70
times 70 examine he books, and We had
most g,ven NJ the tack on account Of the B
and tsblerabls sale Of tie m nner In Viii
ne ofics was conducted. upon coneull
lion II vas sgrted b. tho oom n iiiee tha
should ret ~ tia'ement from toe vtuch,
10 MT. Pa lee. NICE 70, T9rh dgre and n
tsrial furnished. which and submit,
the fame 70 Mel. hohw.thof, regustti
him In vriuns that N All eAsei OF ftoi
frs,ol or fand, a taid have been pi
ebsisd by faid vouchers, that he would Il
vheis the 'taue vas ufedt and In q
sravel and sand we're used. the number
Iosds, and how deep the san wa laid.
Hls answers 10 ties! vouehou were In
Indefinite and general way. For tramI
seafl0ad o. lumber vas bought, ard vi